Rodrigo Duterte was speaking at an event marking the 115th anniversary of the Philippines police force.
Photograph: Reuters

The Philippines president, Rodrigo Duterte, has hit out at “stupid” United Nations criticism of his controversial war on crime in which about 1,000 people have died, warning the global body not to interfere.

Duterte, who swept to a landslide election victory in May partly on a pledge to crack down on crime, said he would continue his anti-drug push despite mounting criticism, including from the UN chief, Ban Ki-moon.

“Why would the United Nations be so easily swayed into interfering in the affairs of this republic? There are only 1,000 (killed),” he said at an event marking the 115th anniversary of the police force.

'He's vulgar – but honest': Filipinos on Duterte's first 100 days in office

Read more

In June, Ban condemned Duterte’s apparent support for extrajudicial killings, saying they were “illegal and a breach of fundamental rights and freedoms”.

The UN’s anti-drugs office this month said it was greatly concerned by reports of extrajudicial killings of suspected drug dealers and users in the Philippines.

The UN has made “a very stupid proposition”, Duterte said, warning it not to meddle in the country’s politics.

“What’s the problem? You inject politics. Only one thousand died and you put my country in peril, in jeopardy,” he said.

He told foreign human rights watchdogs not to “investigate us as though we are criminals”, and warned they would not be treated well in the Philippines.

Duterte, who took office on 30 June, ordered a bloody war on crime that has killed 1,054 people since the May elections, according to the country’s largest broadcaster, ABS-CBN.

This includes people killed in police operations, and more than 400 murdered by mysterious vigilantes.

Duterte won the election on a promise to wage a war on illegal drugs and other crime that would claim tens of thousands of lives.

He has ordered police not to hesitate to kill and even urged ordinary citizens and communist guerrillas to join in the bloodshed.

He has repeatedly scoffed at human rights groups opposed to the killings.